


The Dance Of Swords

by MyNameisLennyKeepingReal



Category: Call of Duty 4 - Modern Warfare, NieR: Automata
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-04-18
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:47:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23617009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyNameisLennyKeepingReal/pseuds/MyNameisLennyKeepingReal
Summary: 2B, is dead. And after deciding to play rough with a god who she deemed untrustworthy, she was brought to his mercy, and into a new life. Born under the name of Gertrude, she only had one goal: Serve humanity. But even the likes of her human self would face blood... and face it head on she does.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	1. Prologue & "Escape"

**Author's Note:**

> This fanfiction’s beginning is going to first take place at the true ending of NieR: Automata, and entirely going to involve mostly Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare universe content. Snippets from the NieR: Automata universe would be involved, but they’ll mostly be preferences.
> 
> Anyway… This is it! Let the blood flow and let the fun begin! This is definitely intended for mature audiences!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fanfiction’s beginning is going to first take place at the true ending of NieR: Automata, and entirely going to involve mostly Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare universe content. Snippets from the NieR: Automata universe would be involved, but they’ll mostly be preferences.
> 
> Anyway… This is it! Let the blood flow and let the fun begin! This is definitely intended for mature audiences!
> 
> Current Original Characters:  
> \- 2B (renamed Gertrude), the resurrected blood assassin teen

_Chapter **BEGIN** :_

The teenage girl was hearing something… a voice in form of an echo in the darkness of her mind:

_You have died._

“No.” The teenage girl denied. “I don’t believe you!”

_You died, in the most pathetic way. You… were a casualty of war… an android whose only service is towards her own kind… not humanity._

“Tch. Even if you might have known… What makes you the one to have me listen to my own death?” The teenage girl smirked. “You were there. You are our… god. For whatever reason you’re still trying to concoct some sort of plan. Or… Maybe you already have.”

“ _I chose you… over 9S._ ”

“9S?! No…What happened?!”

“ _They wouldn’t be able to recover your consciousness. You have become corrupted beyond repair. Your soul, is irreparable. You have been deceased._ ”

“I… see. The memories. They’re…”

A boy’s voice then came next. “ _What do you mean her data is beyond repair?!_ ”

A male robotic voice coming from a complex unit responded. “ _Solution unknown. The data leak shouldn’t have included any corrupted information. This was an error… on my part._ ”

“ _No… 2B… Not you… Not you!!!_ ” The boy screams, having lost all hope and with his psychological state somehow ruined.

The teenage girl felt her tears leave her eyes. “So I’m… 2B.”

“ _That was your former name,_ ” the voice she talked to responded. “ _Now… You will be anew._ ”

“Anew? Born?”

“ _Yes. This… is a cruel fate for those who either deserve to be given a chance, or not. You are one who does not deserve that chance, but nonetheless…you have an objective that stays within your mind, the whole time._ ”

“I… I have a function… to defend humanity… treasure them. But… My own purpose… It’s to kill.”

“ _It will keep being your purpose, girl. You will bathe with fortune as you would grow into your new life… given purpose anew as you are… a human._ ”

“Do I have to face it alone?”

“ _Think of this as a chance to live without so much regret. This time, it will feel so much real._ ”

“And if I refuse?” 2B snorts afterwards, making the god she talked to provoked. “I know that our ‘god’ isn’t you. It’s a prototype android… who initiated Project YoRHa and had me fated to lose a home… a calling… a purpose and a curse. But I DO believe that you are here… spiritual in nature. You don’t have a right to decide my fate.”

A hand in mist that cover’s 2B’s whole body grabs her. She felt the solid grasp of her captor.

The god spoke. “ _You are capable of so much more, 2B. You cannot be one without purpose as your life had passed. Leave the loved ones you once lived with, and accept this new life._ ”

“Maybe you would have had a chance to save me from death if you were so good at it. But an android made our complete calling. I despise the god who made this possible… but I would now despise the god who made a fool out of me this instant.”

“ _Typical killer android. You will be human. And you will be treated as such. You will start anew. And you… will find your purpose once again._ ”

2B was gripped more and her body ached so much. She grits her teeth, refusing to give in. “Kill me then. I won’t accept your power and praise. NEVER.”

“ _Tch. You will still be my special one. But take this into heart: Your death at this life, means your existence permanently ends. Now…suffer in pain, and die._ ”

2B then felt her body being squeezed. Her tears were flowing from her eyes. She actually feels that death is upon her. She groans in pain, trying to struggle but to no avail. Soon, the coldness began to wrap around her, as well as her consciousness. No. She wouldn’t give up. Not when-

She would only hear a snap, feeling nothing now as her limp body gave out. She lost her breath, as well as her dignity in dying peacefully in front of a god.

The girl then hears her own cries as a baby. Soon, the world around her was white. ‘ _So…I… am born._ ’

_I was born as Gertrude… a German girl with silver hair… one whose importance will be known later on. I was born in the year 1995. But it doesn’t matter, really. My earthly mother, doesn’t matter. What mattered… was what my life was supposed to be later on in my life. I had lived a lie. And now… I’m living by my own way…also in a lie. I was an android once and a human today… and what was my only purpose? It’s to live because of a despicable god. And he’s even worse than the original Number 9… fated to die. But me? I’m not even going to touch death… and neither will it touch me._

_It was my only weapon of defiance against the god who gave me nothing but suffering in my existence._

Year 2001. Gertrude was six years old and was invited to be in birthday party at one of her ‘classmates’. She would attend wearing a gray dress, wearing a black headband and with her silver short hair, covering one of her blue-colored eyes, being known to many of her acquaintances. She didn’t seem to smile, nor did she feel anything towards the celebrant to his birthday. Why? Because that boy was a bully.

And she hated bullies.

She would even listen to the boy eat spaghetti while talking with his mouth full to his mother. (“Mother, some more please!”) Gertrude could understand that pathetic living mess of a boy being fattened and spoiled.

_Normally, I would just stay silent and not do anything, but he’s special that day. Because… He caught my attention. I didn’t get so much to feel for what happened to who thought was the only friend I’d have in childhood… Margaret. Margie seemed sweet… smart… and probably the only one who knows how to understand my emotions. She gets picked on a lot by Arthur, the 7 year old bully in our same school… and the birthday celebrant. My birth mother was friends with his. But I don’t care. Tragedy settled in my heart. Margie died in a hospital after she was pushed down a long staircase, killing her in an instant. And Arthur? He got away clean._

**_Unacceptable. No justice was settled. His fate is decided there. I hid my sadness. I’m letting it crawl out from me with a plan…_ **

Arthur was then brought into the house by Gertrude after being invited by her. She showed smiles to him and it made him feel gullible. There was a knife in the kitchen next to some unfinished cake.

Gertrude smiled at Arthur and whispered. (“I’ve been looking at plenty of forbidden magazines. Your mommy seemed nice that she even showed me those.”)

The boy winced. (“Those are forbidden!”) He grins. (“You’re quite hardcore. Do you… want to-?”) Arthur stopped talking and blushed highly.

Gertrude smiled, kept her eyes towards Arthur while she reached her hand towards the knife on the table. (“No. I want you to pay for Margie’s death.”) Her eyes then became the eyes of a killer, looking at her target. (“You have my permission to die now.”)

(“W-wait-!”) Arthur only tried to beg, not expecting the girl in front of him would swipe the knife and have it pointed at him suddenly.

The damage seemed quick, and so did the death. Blood sprayed around… and even landed on Gertrude’s body as she stabbed that boy’s head first, then went for his neck next. She felt her sense blur while she stabbed him repeatedly. She did it again, and again, and again.

_I don’t know how many times I stabbed him. But I knew that I had stabbed him so many times that someone stopped me. Her mother stopped me… even begged to have me killed. Nobody understood me… neither did my birth mother._

_That was the first time I felt coldness in my heart. It was then I realized what I was missing as an android. It felt… good. But it could also harm. I had to keep it under control._

**_Year 2011_ **

At this time, Gertrude was in the Middle East on a special assignment to protect some ambassador who was having relations trouble with President Al-Fulani. But while the president’s palace was guarded well, it was infiltrated. She discovers a dead body of one of the guards while she roamed in the palace.

Gertrude, now 16 years old and wearing mostly the same things like the black headband on her head, wore a hood and loose jacket on her over a gray shirt and combat pants, while wearing black laceless shoes. The only weapons she’s equipped on her person was a Beretta M92F and a survival knife.

After seeing the dead body of the guard in the bathroom, she used her earpiece. “Star Zero to all units, report!” She started to walk a corridor with her plan to get the ambassador to safety when she heard gunfire within the palace. Soon, glass windows were heard breaking. She started to sprint. “Shit…! We’re under attack! Anyone close, get to the ambassador! Star One, respond! Where are you?!”

As she arrived outside the meeting room that the ambassador was in, she heard a gunshot immediately. Drawing her pistol, she tested the door carefully and turned the knob. As she did, she heard something click from behind the door. “My luck!” She muttered that to herself before running from the door and hearing the explosion. It knocked the door out and hit her, briefly knocking her out as the force forced her and the door down on the ground.

She heard noises of gunfire while she was out… and long blades being used like they were swords.

_It was my initiation, the day I took my callsign Star Zero…_

**_END_ ** _… Prologue._

_MynameisLennyKeepingReal presents a COD4 Modern Warfare – NieR: Automata crossover fanfiction:_

**_“The Dance of Swords”_ **

_Chapter **BEGIN** :_

“Escape”

Nothing that Gertrude had experienced was normal that morning… The attack at the palace… the way it was infiltrated… The weapons used. Something big was going on behind the scenes, but she had to get ahold of herself… as she was about to need more than her thinking to survive, especially when she no longer has her hood. She opened her eyes to get herself out of her trance. She was hiding in a house, an empty one that she had to use just to avoid the militia patrols that were going around the city. They were everywhere: Mechanized transports, weaponized pickups, kill squads that raid suspected houses of owners who closely support President Al-Fulani. She couldn’t just walk outside without getting seen… not while the coup is at its initial stages.

Gertrude had thoughts running while this was happening. ‘ _This is Khaled Al-Asad finally making the coup worth his time. The bastard… Using hired grunts just to…_ ’ She chuckled a little, seeing the irony of this. ‘ _It follows his attitude. It just does… doesn’t it?_ ’

Taking her stance into the situation, she decided to lay low until the tighter patrols settled into one place. The Presidential Palace was stormed, so that’s where the tightest security is going to be. She has no reason to stay in that city, especially with the ambassador she’s protecting no longer breathing. She then decides to lock all doors, before going into the basement of the house just to be alone. She then gets this cold feel in the air however. This made her wince and look around. Suddenly, the sounds have faded. And what seems to have been air, had suddenly become stagnant.

She looked around the basement… nothing comes of importance even while the light bulb in the room wasn’t working. In the darkest part of the basement was a set of eyes glowing red on its pupil, and a figure then walked in to the lighter side of the basement… a woman. She wear nothing but full black, having stockings and a short dress worn together with a matching collared shirt. This woman had long blonde hair lengthened to her upper back. But what was strange about this female figure was that she had no mouth at all. There was only skin on the supposed part between her nose and her chin.

Gertrude glared at the woman she was with. “Is this supposed to be a joke?”

The woman looked at her, and spoke to Gertrude, letting her voice breach the teenage girl’s mind gently. “If you wish it would be.” She speaks with a voice that seems to identify that she’s in her 30’s. “It’s been a while… 16 years a while. I haven’t been able to talk to you since you were so busy growing up. How’s your new life treating you?”

“You. I recognize your aura any day. Are you here to gloat, God? Are you here to tell me you’re right about everything?” Gertrude paused on her speech, looking at the woman she’s with. “YoRHa-issued uniform. Why are you wearing this? And you look older for a YoRHa unit.”

She chuckles at Gertrude. “I thought I’d get something that you recognize from your old life. It’s something that’s needed while you’re being given motivation in this world. I’m called God… Allah… Buddha… Jehovah… Yahweh. All those things are true in this world. But I figured you already called me something from the beginning… and I believe it was the term ‘Unknown’.”

“Bitch. Factually speaking, you don’t exist.”

“Still sharp with that tongue from the beginning. You made me hear your blasphemous prayers.” The Unknown woman then restricted Gertrude’s arms and legs before she made the teenager hover. The girl even tried to struggle as well, before she was forced to hover forward, putting her face next to the god she despised. “But let me assure you… that fate hits back on each blasphemous prayer.”

“Go to hell,” Gertrude spoke it and her head ached that she screamed. “AAAGH…! PIECE OF SHIT…!!!” This took a few minutes before the pain stopped.

“Like I said. Profanity, and telling a god to go to hell is an offense by itself. And you’re doing it in front of that god. Thinking about your sins to a god is a sin by itself. But enough about me.” The Unknown then lets go of Gertrude, letting the girl land on her feet and get on one knee out of exhaustion. She bent down and put her hand on Gertrude’s chin and forced the teen’s face to face hers. “This is my reminder to you. You have a god to believe in. Use that belief to your advantage.”

Gertrude glared at the Unknown. “If you’re really beyond what I see in you right now, how do I know you won’t give me the next chance to get killed?”

“You won’t. And besides… you’re better than getting killed now.” The Unknown then lets go of Gertrude’s chin. “You’re better off living here and now, as you are at this time… still out of danger. A chain of events would soon start to take place. No details should be spared here, but I know you’re resourceful enough to find out things for yourself.”

“Now I’m worried,” Gertrude said as she looked at one part of the room, just before she looked back at her guest… only to find the god was gone. “Damn you.”

She gets up from her kneeling position and begins to think of a plan. ‘ _Forget it. I can’t stay here for long. If I know Al-Asad, he’ll have Al-Fulani moved to a safehouse while the coup reaches its climax. There will definitely be an execution this day. I’ll have to escape following the book._ ’

She then moves back to the ground floor of the house and checks what she has. There was the survival knife, and the Beretta M92F pistol. She can make use of the weapons she’s got and be wise as she moves. She needed to move to an emergency extraction point at this scenario. By this time, the city might have been cut off in using the phone lines. The emergency extraction point is her only option.

Deciding to go, she checks herself first. Wearing a short black dress with a length only up to her thighs and darkish grey stockings together with laceless shoes, she certainly has completely different attire from how she remembers her intense combat training in this world. But it’s anything to make sure she’s fluid with her movements. She holsters her pistol at her rear and keeps her survival knife sheathed at her right. Seeing as it was necessary, she makes sure both weapons are easily accessible to her.

Gertrude takes the back door that leads into a house-to-house passageway. She walks the connecting passageways to try and evade patrols. She made eventual delays on her walking at times since there were single-man militia patrols looking walking between houses. She makes sure to evade them, or simply go behind some and slit their throats with her survival knife without making noise before moving on. Taking 12 careful minutes, she was able to finally get out from the cluster of houses and carefully proceed across the street. So far, she was able to be seen by four single-man patrols, each being dealt with her survival knife. She practiced being emotionless most of this time, since she needed to save energy all for getting across the city.

She then goes to another cluster of houses, some of which now contains different small-sized industrial servicing outlets… like vehicle mechanic shops and small refueling centers. Hostile militia patrols were more concentrated at this area, and she encountered a few 3-man patrols along the way. ‘ _This is more like it, I suppose._ ’ She thought of this while coming behind two militiamen, both with rifles and one with an RPG-7 launcher slung at his back. She smirked before moving, making a silent sprint at them from behind. Their senses didn’t catch her silent sprint as she jumped and and grabbed their necks from behind before her momentum pushed them forward to a wall. Their faces meanly hit the wall before they’re easily unconscious. She kicks off from the wall and flips back, drawing her knife and throwing it to her right. The knife hits dead center to another militiaman’s head. Landing down on her feet, she picks herself up and gets to retrieve her knife from the dead corpse she hit and moved on. ‘ _So far… so good,_ ’ she thought to herself.

There weren’t too many patrols after this specific one. She had her thoughts run as she kept sprinting through the city. ‘ _As I thought. They’re actually doing it in a single day… the sudden coup… the armed force takeover… everything. Al-Asad… He didn’t have all the military expertise to pull this off… at least not alone. It seems he had some help. It doesn’t matter anymore. I have to leave… this coup? It has more under the surface than it seems._ ’

Taking an hour of running through patrols while evading some, she was able to make it to the edge of town. A single blockade was in her way. She charged right through it and alerted a weaponized pickup gunner. There were four more armed militiamen there at the blockade. The technical gunner fired first. She sprinted insanely quick with what she applied as a magic boost, even making a soft glow around her legs while she was at it. Soon, the other militiamen followed and fired their automatics before one of them was shot dead. She used one of her shots from her pistol before she fired more, killing the all four militiamen standing in front of her. She made a sprinting beeline at the technical gunner, with all shots missing her. She used her insanely fast momentum to eventually jump. The gunner couldn’t keep up with his target, as Gertrude aimed at him and fired, thus killing the gunner and throwing the turrent upwards as he dropped dead off the pickup truck. Gertrude lands in a roll, continues and runs off from the disabled blockade while she holstered her weapon. ‘ _Good. That takes care of the immediate problem._ ’

A male was heard during a telephone call between herself and this man. “ _You’re on a secure channel, Star Zero. Status report._ ”

Gertrude replied to him. “ _Reporting mission failed. Ambassador Michaels has been assassinated along with Al-Fulani’s aides. President Al-Fulani, I believe was spared and taken prisoner._ ”

“ _And what of the description of the attackers?_ ”

“ _Serpent Eyes… no doubt about it. The attack happened… and they’re the first to leave before the militiamen under Al-Asad’s coup had arrived to secure Al-Fulani. I escaped after having found out Michaels was dead._ ”

“ _As for asset Star One?_ ”

“ _Rogue._ ”

“ _Understood. Come back for a full debriefing immediately. We got a lot to catch up on._ ” The man hangs up and the phone call ends.

**_END_ ** _…Chapter 1._


	2. Loss of shoes, Gains in fish

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I thought… What would it make me feel if I give something that Gertrude wants? I need to flesh out her backstory more at this point, but she’s a complicated character. She knows her old life and lives in a new one. She hadn’t completely been softened by the world. She’s just living by its rules. After all, humanity lives in its complexities in history, tradition, culture, and beliefs. That’s what she’ll start to unlock soon in this.
> 
> But hey! It’s time I get on this chapter! Enjoy the reading!

_Chapter **BEGIN** :_

“Loss of shoes, Gains in fish”

Escaping the city was only the beginning. Gertrude had to be picked up by an unmarked helicopter meant for transport. She looked at her own stockings while sitting at one of the chairs, still not new to the fact she needed to get rid of her shoes on the way to the emergency extraction point. She had only her feet to look at, covered with a black pedicure. She licked at her lips and smiled a bit, knowing she had her own money spent on dealing with her personal fetishes. ‘ _I had a certain affinity to those things for a long time. I just didn’t like it when I was still an android, neither did I want to show it._ ’ She thought of this before looking at the nearby headset equipped with a microphone that was not worn. Putting it on, she puts the microphone near her mouth. “Star Zero to Galaxy. Come in.”

An American male responds from the other line. “ _This is Galaxy. Looks like you took a beating._ ”

“Almost. Besides having a few bits of scratches, I’m mostly fine. I just need another pair of shoes.”

“ _Ah. I forgot you got a certain fetish relating to feet and how you like to have the best shoes for performance._ ”

“Did anyone tell you? Well, they’re dead.”

“ _They came from rumors, you know. Every bit of your behavior was noted within our logs especially when you were staying with A-Group before._ ”

“Heh. I should have a talk with William then. I bet he doesn’t mind a katana pointed to his neck.”

“ _Whatever you say, as long as you don’t kill him. Debriefing will start the moment the bosses meet you. Anything else you need in the sub?_ ”

“Besides bearing the temperatures, just a bath is what I need. If anything else besides a bath is given to me, I’ll grab the first man that comes along and rape his ass. Star Zero, Out.” Gertrude removes the headset she’s worn for communications and she turns her head towards the helicopter’s cockpit. “Make sure I get to the submarine in one piece or I will find your families and kill them myself!”

And soon as the helicopter makes it to open water past some inoperable oilrigs, it still flies further in the open water before the sight of black-colored submarine surfacing from the water would be seen by the helicopter pilots. Forward speed was slowing down as the rotor aircraft began to descend as well, making sure that it would slow down as it would also let its passenger disembard. Gertrude opens one door from the chopper to look at the submarine below. She didn’t have any emotion as she saw the hatch she was supposed to be entering into just come into view. And once she’s at a height where she could jump off while the aircraft is steady, she jumps off and lands on her two bare feet before waving at the chopper from below. She then proceeds to the hatch of the submarine before it opens. A crew member waves at her and she nods before she finds herself climbing down some steps before she pulled the hatch close.

Immediately stepping alone into her assigned quarters, somewhat small in size with only a bed and some personal effects, she immediately removes all of her clothing and lie naked on the bed, lying on one side of her body while removing her head band. She reaches her hand up to her crotch with one hand before she started to put her fingers on her clit. She moans, as she begins to rub herself there. She took a few minutes of rubbing slow before she started to put two fingers into her pussy, moaning louder than before as she fingers herself. She sat up, and fingered herself more, making sure she passes along her own clit. And soon, her juices spray little by little on her bed, while she moaned more, letting her lust take over.

She couldn’t take it anymore and stopped rubbing, then got off the bed to stand and approach a nearby body mirror. She looks at herself, feeling lustful while her bare body is shown in front of her. “Do you like this… Nines?” She then puts her two fingers again on her pussy and resumes. She moans, more and more as her finger was about to make her release. “Oh, fuck me… Nines… Ahhn… Fuck me more…! I’m cumming! I’m cumming- AHHHN!!!” She then releases her lustful juices while standing. Then she squats down, pulling her fingers away from her crotch. She closes her eyes and keeps her legs apart. She moans, still pulsing images of herself mating with her former companion Nines back from her world. “Hnn… More, Nines! More!” Soon, she was starting to squirt from her pussy again. “I’m cumming…!! AHHN!!” She would then squirt a lot more than how she’d done it while standing. Was this meant to be, even for her? She asked herself that question, and she kept telling herself: ‘ _I don’t care._ ’ She then smirked at her own reflection. “I’ve gone through a lot in this life. I just hope I don’t make it disgraceful like my last one.”

She heard her own voice, recalling what happened to her in the past. “ _Oh… Nines…_ ”

She heard her male companion scream out in rage, wanting to kill someone who he thought was a cold killer regardless of what 2B’s killer really wanted to do: Kill someone for being a liability. 2B suffered an illness. To save others, she decided to die, not knowing of what its mental toll is to her companion.

Gertrude frowns at this as she stood up, looking away from her reflection. “Nines… If only I was there… I wish I never saw you fall so badly in your anger.” She sits back at the edge of her bed and closed her eyes. “What really went wrong? Did you… already know?” Opening her eyes, she feels contempt. “Yeah… That might be it. I kept killing you too many times… finding the most sensitive information around.”

A figure in the appearance of a silverish-white haired teenage boy wearing black shoes, shorts, a YoRHa black suit and a blindfold was sitting next to her. “You kept killing me, 2B. You should stay dead.”

“Good thing I have.” Gertrude replied, not looking at her company. “Stay out of my head.”

“No. I want you to suffer. I broke. And I became a sorry-ass partner for you. Truth is… I kinda liked you killing me.” He grins evilly, continuing to speak with tears from his tone. “When I went out to try and kill you in that Tower, you were always ripe for the picking. I desired your death, while I also loved you at every second of it. And now…” He then nears his mouth to her ear. “You’re just a slut to your own feelings.”

Gertrude shed tears from her eyes while getting angry, putting a free hand closest to 9S around his neck. She chokes him and he doesn’t struggle at all while he was losing his breath every second. And when she turned her head just to look at him, she looks with a creepy grin at him. “9S… You’re already dead… right from the beginning. I wish I never met you. I wished I never loved you. I wish… I’ve ended your existence long before you were alive.” She growled and let her grip intensify until she heard a snap of bone from her male companion. She clearly felt it with her hand and heard it with her ears. ‘ _His neck snapped,_ ’ she thought. ‘ _Good riddance._ ’

And opening her eyes in the most real of her dreams, she realized she was on the bed sleeping this whole time in the dark. Under the covers, she unwrapped it, revealing she had no clothes on as she sat up. Was she in a lucid dream? She asked this question to herself and she smiled. ‘ _I took 9S’s death as pleasurable? That’s new._ ’ She then frowns. ‘ _So… That’s how he feels._ ’

A high time in the city of Berlin was under the cloudy weather. It wasn’t about to rain at all, but it was still a sign there would be downpour soon enough. The city streets weren’t so busy that high afternoon, especially during times of normalcy. Inside a silver Mercedes-Benz car, Gertrude was sitting at the back of the four-door vehicle. Of luxuries she could afford, she chose a simple shorter car, while she’s wearing sharp black stockings with black laceless shoes, and a short black dress from its torso down to her thighs.. She also had her signature black headband on her hair while her upper attire was a white thinner sweater.

She made sure to talk to the male driver of the car, looking at the rear view mirror as she looked at his natural dark green eyes. (German: “Fred, how long until we reach The International?”)

(German: “We’ll be taking two more intersections going straight to the place. It’s just under five minutes. Is there any change to our route, Madam?”) The driver polite spoke to his employer.

“No.” Gertrude replied to him in English. “Make sure to just keep our arrival simple. Park across the street as usual, then leave. I’ll find my way back on my own.”

“Verstanden,” the driver replied. “Your employers seem to be very tight on schedule, Fräulein.”

“That’s being punctual, Fred. I think they deserve that much credit after all.” Gertrude said that while she decided to stay silent, looking at the passing sight of some cars parked while other civilians from the outside walked at the side of the road. ‘ _This world really just feels normal, even after all that’s happened at that city within sands…_ ’

The Benz then pulls over just across The International, a five-star hotel and restaurant that operates as a business itself, and a rare place for meetings. Telling Fred to drive off, she gets out of the car and sees her ride leave. She held a dark red umbrella on one hand as she looked to the hotel and restaurant before walking to the restaurant area.

There weren’t too many people once Gertrude looked in through the glass door. A 40 year-old restaurant host welcomes Gertrude. When she told him she is here to see someone, she tells him the name of the contact. One of the hosting aides led her to the table of two… And there was a man wearing a white shirt under a black jacket. His hair was shaved, had a darkness of brown hair on it, while he looked to have some wrinkles. Gertrude isn’t surprised of it at all, since she knows he’s in his forties.

She looked at him eating some steak, being formal with his napkin over the collar of his shirt, and covering his chest area to prevent any messes on his attire. She quietly snorts at him, but he was able to hear her do that. “I take it you’re enjoying yourself?” She asked this, putting an arm over the other. She smiled a little seeing the man eat. “We could have eaten together.”

The man then takes a glass of water before he looked at Gertrude. “You’re gonna have to forgive me,” he said as he spoke with an American accent. “I have to be wheels up in 2 hours and our time here isn’t a complete social call.”

She sighs and sits across his table, as she looked at her plate that was empty. But immediately, a butler had just arrived by her side with a platter. And serving the platter, she moves a steamed mackerel dish at her place. It was quite fresh and pleasing to her eyes especially with the little olive sticks attached to the fish meat. She chuckled at looked at the man. “Colonel, you don’t fail to impress me. Not only do you have my combat record during my time in Serpent Eyes, but also my fascinations. Did Master share them with you?”

“It’s always been that way from the beginning.” The colonel in the suit said it just as he resumes to eat his steak, down to its last bits.

While Gertrude sees him still eating, she speaks up. “I’ll eat right after you leave. This might be important enough.”

And the colonel nods at her, eventually finishing up his meal and wiping the napkin over his mouth before he fixed the utensils over his plate. Looking at her, he gets to the subject at hand. “Right. Ambassador Michaels thought it would be a last-ditch effort to save our diplomatic relationship, but Al-Asad just had to step in. The bastard really isn’t making things easy for us. The bureaucrats told the rest of the chiefs of staff that he won’t be a true threat unless he gets his hands on nukes. Next thing we know… we got unverified information that he DOES. The SAS recovered only a container manifest that tells of the details of the shipment.”

“Are we supposed to talk about this here?” Gertrude asked, concerned that others might hear of the conversation.

“Relax.” The colonel gestured his eyes over to her mackerel dish, but she shook her head. Closing his eyes and shaking his head, he continued his speech. “Something behind it all made me think that Serpent Eyes isn’t truly dead. I looked over the place where you were last taught. The mountains are really difficult to scale, after all. However… We discovered something I thought I wouldn’t find. I didn’t think it would be important unless I tell you myself. Usually, structural blueprints aren’t accurate. We found a hollow opening in your Master’s bedroom. It was cleverly sealed with concrete over the walls, but we were able to find the creases and open a stone door up.”

Gertrude’s eyes were widened at this but kept silent. ‘ _What is he getting at?_ ’

“The complex, but linear passageway leads directly to the forested area 2 miles southwest of the mountain range Serpent Eye used as a stronghold. The exit door was accessible only from the inside, so no one would find it. Plus… We saw traces of fake soil used. The tunnels were cleverly disguised to have filled soil, only to be cleared up when an escape from the monastery was attempted. Needless to say, the escapees weren’t just one or two.”

She snorts. “No wonder there were less and less ninjas and assassins I faced on my way to Master. They were clearly evacuating through a tunnel I couldn’t find.”

“And with this intel about suspicious figures infiltrating the Presidential Palace? Something ticked me off about my findings. Then… I knew these two cases were linked.” Then the colonel saw her glare at him. “Well. We had to keep you focused.”

“FOCUSED?!” Gertrude replied with a more firm tone. Her voice could be heard across the restaurant. “What am I to you? Just a dog?!”

“An uncontrollable one. If I told you about the escape before sending you to the Middle East, what would you do? You’d reprioritize in finding them instead, and you’d waste precious time trying to find them, with a trail that’s clearly gone cold.”

“No. Fuck you, Colonel. You can kiss my services goodbye after this is over.”

“But when will it?” He asked this just to counter her. “Even your riches can’t provide what you need. And besides… You can’t chase ghosts from their tails.”

“They’re not ghosts. They were there in the palace. I saw them. And…” Gertrude hesitated, remembering an image of one pair of eyes from the ninjas, still vivid in her mind. “They were once recruits I’ve known. I didn’t ask myself where some of them have gone before the monastery wanted me dead. I just figured they were killed off or they were let go for being incompetent. I didn’t ask Master of that. I only had my instincts for survival.”

“That said, I want to ask you.” The colonel looked into her eyes to examine her reactions. “Do you still believe what I did was wrong?”

Narrowing her eyes in suspicion, she lets him see her mental state through some calm movements while she responded. “I’m disappointed, honestly. But how often does one sleep for controlling me behind the scenes? Even if you wanted to clear a wrong just to make a point to me, it doesn’t make it well said and executed to leave me in the dark.”

“…and risk losing you in your own emotion? No. I had to make that call to keep you in line.” The colonel then brought his hand into the opposite side of his jacket before he brought out a small sealed brown envelope. She puts it just near Gertrude’s side of the table. “Some more intel we deciphered. It’s best that you read these yourself. You’ll see that what I’m doing benefits us both.”

She gave him a smirk before speaking a reply. “And what of you? You’re still going to need me?”

“I might give some fortunes but it’s not-”

“Keep it.” Gertrude interrupted the colonel before picking up the sealed envelope. “If you have to give me just a regular salary in intervals, then I might as well work with you full time.”

“Is this the Gertrude I know? The Gertrude I’ve known inherited riches from her dead father and got employed for mercenary work. She’s given a check, and then some. Why the change of heart to be made a full grunt?”

“Well…” She stands up from her seat and bent her body so her face will be much closer to his. “Because unlike you, I learn from my past. Maybe you didn’t know, but I lived beyond this world.”

“Yeah. I didn’t forget.” The colonel replied this, not looking phased. “Your otherworldly attitudes mixing with the one you made from this experience really give that stench. I’m not surprised, really. But putting yourself in as a grunt will definitely mean something new coming from you. If that’s what you want, I’ll put you on the list.” He said this and she bent back before taking her seat again, nodding at him. “Good. You’ll be getting a call from me. You won’t lose anything significant except those vehicles you still put on loan.”

“I know they’re from you, but I don’t need tanks to take out an army.”

“And that’s what makes you a monster to behold.” The colonel said this just as he stands up from his seat. “I already took care of the bill. The mackerel dish is still yours… if you still want it.”

“Hey.” Gertrude glares at him, stopping him temporarily from leaving. “You have me employed this time, and it’s for real. If I’m hidden from any secrets, you’ll be the first to know about what comes next.”

The colonel narrowed his eyes on her. “Knowing you, that threat isn’t empty. Noted.” He then leaves the table with Gertrude still there.

She looked at the mackerel dish still on her plate, just starting to cool off after she hasn’t touched this yet. She sighs, knowing it would be a waste to just leave this. Getting a knife and a fork, she starts to carefully slice a chunk of boneless meat. “I’m a grunt. But fuck you.” She muttered that to herself before she took a chunk of that boneless mackerel meat into her mouth. She delightfully chews through the food she’s given and had her thoughts running. ‘ _Bliss through ignorance is a weapon. He at least knows its value. He and Master were close, but the colonel always knew he wouldn’t agree to what Serpent Eyes wanted: Purging this world from all its corruption, while this world is ACTUALLY run in flexibility. Tipping the balance suddenly would just destroy society. You gave me good advice, Colonel. Just don’t make me regret my choices. Or I swear to my goddamn maker that I’ll kill you._ ’

**_END_ ** _…Chapter 2._


	3. Coordination

_Chapter **BEGIN** :_

Gertrude can hear her own mind playing tricks on her again, as she could hear voices of her old mind play within her. It makes her feel like it was history needing to repeat itself.

Her own voice could be heard first as she spoke with an echoed effect applied.

“ _You know NOTHING about humanity!_ ” She remembered this memory of her saying this while fighting a humanoid machine lifeform named Adam.

“ _A future is not given to you. It is something you must take for yourself._ ” A robotic voice she remembered coming from a Technical Support Unit of YoRHa designation Pod 042, spoke this as an echo of her last memories she had before she was attempted to be reactivated.

“ _A2!!!_ ” 9S’s scream on his sadness and anger could be heard in his tone as he tried to run for 2B’s killer, when 2B only wanted to be in peace since there was no way to save her from the illness she suffers.

“ _The time I was able to spend with you. It was like memories of pure light. Thank you… Nine…s…_ ” 2B’s last words in her attempted final message to her male YoRHa android companion was left in vain for him to hear in her flight unit before she jumped out.

Gertrude opens her eyes, realizing she let tears come from her eyes while she was sleeping. She was at the back of a military truck being used as a cover vehicle for a night operation in Western Russia. There were a few attack-recon grunts with her as well. She was wearing an all-black stocking and short dress combat suit while equipped with a sword at her back and a suppressed automatic pistol together with a magazine belt on her. There wasn’t any personal need for a Kevlar vest, since she knows not to get hit.

Using her earpiece, she gets contacted by her command outfit’s callsign spoken by the same male contact she’s familiar with. “ _This is Galaxy. Star Zero, come in._ ”

“Star Zero checking in. So far, so good. How’s the extraction team doing?”

“ _AC-130 gunship is only en route but it’ll take a while before they arrive. Best if this mission involves secrecy, but we have no time for that._

“ _Let’s review. Codename Nikolai is known to be an informant in the Ultranationalist party, the hostile party to the current Russian Civil War that’s taking place. The bastards are the communist side of things who wants the old Soviet regime back. So the Loyalists, the New Russian forces, are set to be the main force driving the Ultranationalists back to where they came from. The British SAS is only there after shortly working with the Loyalists to extract the VIP. Complications came when the Blackhawk the extraction team was able to board got shot down. They’re currently taking their time as they push for the only extraction point that’s not riddled with so much AA cover._

“ _This support force you’re working with now will be on site at the actual extraction site. They’ll be dropping you off at your starting position. Your task is to head on-foot within enemy lines to meet up with Captain Price’s squad, callsign Bravo Six. You’re to link up and serve as an additional support member for the extraction team. It’s in your discretion if you want to follow as a squad member, but anything’s possible as long as there’s coordination. Any questions, Star Zero?_ ”

“Remind me. Nikolai was the one who supplied intel for Price’s raid on the cargo ship… the same cargo ship carrying the nuclear warhead that’s travelling to the Middle East.”

“ _Sounds like you already got this down, Star Zero. Report when you’re linked up with Price._ ”

“Copy that. Star Zero, Out.” Gertrude made her last reply to the comms link before it was cut off.

One of the attack-recon grunts poked her shoulder and spoke with a British accent. “Three minutes.”

Gertrude nods at the grunt and looks down on the truck flooring. ‘ _Nothing but useless convenience._ ’ She thought of this, trying to take the time she needs just to recover her sleep. Closing her eyes, she feels her surroundings. The truck had already made a turn to a tighter area where Ultranationalists are able to make out the vehicle as just one of their own. No gunfire is exchanged. At least not yet.

The truck stops just in the middle of a town cluster. Gertrude gets off immediately and the truck leaves. Proceeding to an area where there were Ultranationalist militias, she sneaks past the bigger crowd of them to avoid a fight. She knew she needed to engage them at some point since this is a mission that requires a rush against the enemy.

Ultranationalists’ side of the extraction point. She hears radio chatter from Bravo Six, after being given its first firing support from callsign Wildfire, the extraction team’s covering AC-130 gunship from above.

Eventually, Gertrude makes contact. “Wildfire, this is Star Zero. Authentication Zulu Six-Niner-Five Alpha. I’m currently on standby from the rendezvous point. I have visual on the church… Activating strobe signal now.” As soon as she activates her IR sensor attached to her body, 105 millimeter shells start coming down at a nearby weaponized pickup.

Then a male responds to her via radio. “ _Star Zero, Wildfire. We’re currently on a mission right above Bravo Six. Hostiles approaching from the church._ ”

“Copy. I’m moving now.” Gertrude replied this as she left the house, and immediately unsheathing her katana sword. She sees a running two-man patrol. Using a speed boost to sprint, she attacks first by jumping, and spinning her body together with her sword before they tried to attempt in firing at her. She cleans out her two targets first having been able to move between them as the blade sliced both. Landing next to them with both feet, a late reaction caused both her targets to bleed out from their heads and drop dead on the floor. She sheathes her blade and equips her machine pistol. Soon, she heard more explosions coming from 40mm explosive rounds. She then uses her earpiece while she runs and engages hostiles. “Bravo Six, this is Star Zero. I’m your extra sword ready to assist on the ground.”

Captain Price responds via radio while gunfire is heard on the background. “ _Copy! You sound like you went through a shrinking ray with your voice._ ”

“Best you keep chatter to a minimum, captain. I’m coming to you. Out.” Gertrude sprints and rolls forward to take cover to a building with overhead cover, returning fire towards three hostiles engaging from an improvised pillbox. Just as she was able to take one of the hostiles out with her machine pistol, the other two were engaged and killed off easily from another direction. She was able to see the boonie hat-wearing man with a beard equipped with an M4A1 while also equipped with night vision goggles. He had a squad with him that time when they pointed their weapons, so she lowered hers. “Friendly! Friendly!” She approaches them in a jog while they took cover near a building while Price and Gertrude talk to each other. “Captain Price… Just call me Gertrude. Rogue Seven is positioning near the extraction point at the junkyard. Ultranationalists are heavily infested here. I suggest we move now.”

Price nods. “Fine. Let’s go.” He points two of his squad flank left and the other stay with him while Gertrude stays alert while holding the machine pistol in her hand. He notices her age and attire were really out of standard. “You should tell me what else the other side of the world is keeping. Your fashion sense really isn’t military issue.”

Nikolai, the only Russian with a crew cut, spoke out in his curiosity of Gertrude while hearing small explosions from a distance. “I would say she was like one of those characters coming from a convention.”

“Tch. Sie können das zurücknehmen. Stechen. ” (“You can take that back. Prick.”). Gertrude replied that in annoyance.

“Relax,” Price said that just as he was able to make out more hostiles coming from the other side of a farming field. “Incoming hostiles from the other side of the field!” He takes cover at some nearby stone railing with a overhead good for a one-knee crouch, opening fire at the hostile group together with Gaz and Nikolai and other SAS members who were able to regroup with Price earlier after the helicopter crash. Soon, more shots coming from above descended down like exploding grenades towards the hostile group. “That takes care of them. Move! The highway’s over there!”

After more intense fighting for 4 minutes, Bravo Six was able to procure civilian vehicles. Gertrude got on the roof of the lead convoy of two jeeps while going prone as the vehicles were moving. She adapts on any surface of where she stands, moving or not, which doesn’t disturb the extraction team at all. Together with the rest, she was able to repel enemy attacks coming from RPG launchers. The AC-130 did most of the work eliminating hostiles before the extraction team could fire.

As the vehicles approached the junkyard, they halted and dismounted immediately. Gertrude then uses her earpiece again. “Rogue Seven, Star Zero. We’re in position just at the other side of the junkyard.”

“ _Copy that, Star Zero! We just infiltrated a building used by the hostiles. They’re currently moving to defend against your forces. Standing by to fire on your order._ ”

“Acknowledged, Rogue Seven. We’ll be there in five minutes. Here’s hoping the Pave Lows arrive early. Star Zero, Out.” Gertrude approaches Price while the whole squad opens fire against incoming hostiles. “Rogue Seven is in position at the other end of the junkyard. Extraction choppers are on flight to the LZ.”

“This isn’t like a normal day for you, is it?!” Price asked this rhetorically.

Gertrude chuckles while hearing 25mm rounds from a minigun were coming down at the hostiles from above. She then advanced to take point in the junkyard, while switching out her machine pistol with her katana. Using magic to evade shots and sidestepping to strike an enemy dead first, she moves on to slash away at the others in her way while narrowly evading more bullets. “Rogue Seven, open fire!”

AT4 rockets were able to destroy one house occupied by hostile Ultranationalist forces. Rogue Seven, in the guise of full black and gas-masked forces working as a squad., took position at the other end of the junkyard next to the open space.

Price identified the newcomers as friendlies, having been informed over his command callsign. He was able to have a conversation with Gaz after they took out a three-main attack team. “Gaz, these new people are making me unsettled. Think we should trust them?”

“I don’t think so,” Gaz responded with urgency, though not with so much alertness. “But they’re authorized by agencies from the United States. I’m not surprised if they’re here just to here to support our extraction though.”

“Good enough for me,” Price said it just before weaponized pickups were spotted at the extraction point. “Take cover!” He said it just before the bullets come flying from the Technicals. “Wildfire, Technicals spotted at the extraction point!! Take care of them!”

Gertrude just slashed another man, splitting him in half from the middle before 40mm explosives came from above, destroying the weaponized pickups just before she heard rotors from afar. “That must be the extraction Pave Lows. Price, two Pave Lows incoming!” She reported this to Price over the radio before she kept going forward. Meeting with Rogue Seven, she nods at their squad leader. “Just another day,” she said to her.

“Agreed,” the female squad leader of Rogue Seven said while holding a silenced UMP Submachine gun. “The flyboys are coming in.” She pointed towards the two MH-53 Pave Lows coming in for a landing.

Price then nodded at Rogue Seven and at Star Zero before they moved together to the helicopters. “Wildfire, we’ve moving towards the helicopters now. Thanks for the assist. Bravo Six out.” He noticed that the extraction team went to one helicopter together with her while Rogue Seven went to the separate one. He doesn’t have a problem working with other factions as long as their interests align. But one question remained unanswered to him: What was Star Zero’s role besides assisting in the extraction of Nikolai?

The two Pave Lows took a few seconds to raise altitude and move out of Western Russia. The flight was uneventful for a few hours even as the two helicopters reached a military outpost in Hamburg that belonged to the British Armed Forces. The British at this time had a major presence in Germany at the moment…

After talking to Rogue Seven, Gertrude splits from them as her accompanying squad gets transported out of base using a Black Hawk helicopter. She heads to the secondary barracks of the base and found the carpool where Price was loading up one car to take Gaz, and Nikolai to the safehouse. Combat vests were left in the outpost.

Price removes his boonie hat and looks at Gertrude as she approached. “We’ll take it from here.”

“There’s another reason I was in that mission, Price.” Gertrude said that urgently. “It concerns Nikolai. And I believe we can talk further when we get to the safehouse.”

“I don’t trust you well enough especially when you’re under corporate orders.”

“Then don’t. I’m still on arm’s length.” Gertrude said that to try and convince Price that she come with them.

Price looked at Gaz. “Make sure to sit at the back with Nikolai.”

“Right.” Gaz follows and boards the car, being with Nikolai at the rear seats.

Gertrude then gets in the passenger side of the car before Price did too on the driver side. The car was then driven off the base. This was when she spoke up, making sure to not make eye contact as she expresses herself. “Price, I know I’m not to be really trusted, just because.”

“Well. You know.”

“Yes. Mercenary. Stiff. Looking for just cash. Well I have the time to examine my options, so no. I’m not like other cutthroats like the ones you know. Technically, you’re right though.” Gertrude explained that to him before speaking. (German: “If you don’t understand, then try me again.”)

“Gladly. What’s your real aim with Nikolai and why did you really help back at Russia?” Price asked that, understanding what Gertrude said before.

Gertrude chuckled at that. “You continue to surprise me. My assignment also includes finding leads to other suspicious figures and factions.”

“Factions?” Price asked briefly. “Besides the Ultranationalists, Loyalists and those concerned militia in the Middle East, what exactly are you getting at?”

“Another one that is affiliated to my past. They use swords, and fight as fast as I do too. The split-second maneuvers you saw at the junkyard are of my making, but the mastery behind it is from where I came from. I won’t tell you everything just yet though. You have your own problems to deal with.”

“Fine with me. What does that have to do with Nikolai then?”

“I need to know if any of the Ultranationalists are saying something about another group that works in the shadows. My goal is to find this group and dispatch them as quickly as possible.”

Nikolai cleared his throat, hearing this conversation. “I’m not, ‘not here.’ You know? You can ask me anything as long as you’re polite, Miss-?”

“It’s Gertrude. Call me Trudy for short. Now… I don’t know if my information would help enough. Best we speak once we reach the safehouse after I get myself together.” Nikolai replied this before he looked through the window on the door out on the moving trees and buildings the car passed.

The rest of the half hour journey to the safehouse went on in silence. And Gertrude had a thought to herself while on the way. ‘ _I’m guessing he’s only heard whispers, but anything would help when it comes to finding Serpent Eye. If they’re closely working with someone who’s helping Al-Asad, then there’s the real catch of the day._ ’

Arriving at the secure safehouse, the car was driven into the garage. Price and Gaz went in the house first before Nikolai and Gertrude. Security for assets who are still in danger of being targeted are being given priority first.

The interior of the safehouse wasn’t so much of a bore, but it was at least given basic decoration like a normal house. The excessiveness of curtain design and usage in carpets wasn’t present in the safehouse.

Gertrude looked around and saw Nikolai go to a room to probably get dressed. Then she got called by Price. “Hm?”

“We still have to talk.” Price pointed a couch nearby and he went there. Gertrude followed close and he eventually sat down. “Trudy, I know you’re young but we still need to have ground rules. Command briefed me on what’s going to happen next before we were sent for Nikolai.”

Gertrude snorts and sits down beside Price. “I doubt it’s anything new.”

“You’d bet it is. One… You’re here to take orders from us. Bureaucrats talked it over with your bosses and it’s decided. First thing you have to do, is get on tight close coordination.” Price explained this while Gertrude removes her sheathed katana and put it down on the nearby table. “Sometimes, some of our tasks use less of that.”

“You shouldn’t tell me these things. I know what I’m doing. I think you’ve seen that I’m capable out there.”

“Maybe. But are you patient enough in front of us? That’s what counts, Gertrude. Don’t underestimate what alliances can do. I know how your type works.”

“What type?” Gertrude asks Price that, glaring at him.

“You’re the type who operates alone, but you have to change that if you’re with us, even with the superior skill of a fighter. This is an age that you have to live your life for and you got to have some friends… even some you don’t expect. Do we understand each other?”

Closing her eyes, she became aware of how Price gets under anyone’s skin. ‘ _Maybe this is what’s expected of a military squad leader?_ ’ She thought of this before sighing. “I’ll have to consult with my superiors. If your command needs the likes of us, then we’ll oblige. But we don’t completely take orders from your government. We handle ourselves.”

“We’re past handling ourselves on this one. If one needs the other, the whole family goes.” Price said that as he made an impression on Gertrude.

And she chuckled at that statement. “I have a feeling your family extends to include Nikolai.” She stands after making the statement and headed for the door. But she stopped just in front of it and looked at the captain. “I’ll start to make contact right away. And Price… I hope we don’t have any problems.”

Price sighs, browsing a pocket and taking out a cigar on his hand. “We’ll cross that bridge once we do. But I hope we both do what’s necessary first.”

“It all depends if our interests align.” Gertrude said this last before she opens the door and heads out of the safehouse. She finds herself at the front porch of the house while she looks at the sky. There was some light coming onto the sky as the morning had only started to shine down. She then used her earpiece. “Galaxy, Star Zero. Patch me to the Colonel.”

“ _Star Zero, Galaxy. Roger. Standby._ ” The male radio operator responds first, but he was replaced by the Colonel’s voice after a minute or so. “ _I see the mission is a success._ ”

“I’m possibly gonna need some more time to get to know them better. There’s better chance we could at least have some leverage when it comes to negotiations with the British government forces. The SAS are preferably close to this since they have close ties with the Loyalist forces of Russia.”

“ _Though that means you also have to give them information bit by bit about your origins. I already passed this to the heads, and they’ve decided. They’re gonna have a good talk with the SAS._ ”

“Alright. Should I stay any longer once I have the information I need from Nikolai?”

“ _Do as you like, Gertrude. Until we see more from the action in the Middle East, there won’t be anything solid just yet. As for Serpent Eyes, we’re keeping an extra ear out._ ”

“Understood. Star Zero, Out.” Gertrude then cuts the comms and turns around, opening the door to enter back into the safehouse. She noticed Gaz was at the kitchen opening a can of soda while Nikolai was seated on a chair in front of a TV while Price was standing beside him. Gertrude looked at the news being broadcasted and listened to it for a while. “So the Marines are beginning to push their forces to the capital. They just need to secure a few towns.”

Price looked at Gertrude just briefly before looking back to the TV. “There’s only so much momentum Al-Asad’s forces are able to take. I’m surprised they’re able to hold out this long. All their vehicles and weapons… There’s no doubt he’s been making deals with Russian arms dealers.”

Gertrude chuckles, seeing this sort of reality happen in the world. “When one needs power through weaponry, you buy them. Or… be bought.”

Nikolai then looks at Gertrude. “You make a fair point. I like you.” He nods to himself before he resumes in looking at the news.

That time, everyone was relaxed, but it would turn differently soon enough…

**_END_ ** _…Chapter 3._


End file.
